Questions and answers: new regulation paves
the way to reducing confiscation of duty free liquids at community airports for
passengers arriving from third countries.

1) Does the new Regulation mean any changes or modifications to the current
system for the moment?

No, for the moment the system stays the same. The new regulation does however
represent a big step towards limiting confiscation of duty free liquids carried
by transit passengers, since it paves the way for the Commission to adopt
decisions that will grant exemptions for liquids purchased in airports in third
countries, subject to verification of the security standards in force there. We
expect the first of these decisions to be taken in the autumn of this year.

2) Will the new Regulation change anything for passengers arriving from third
countries' airports?

Yes, in due course. Once the Commission considers the security measures (to
be verified by the Commission on the case by case basis) applied by third
countries in relation to liquids (secure supply chain, tamper proof bags etc) as
equivalent to EU rules and a decision on the exemption of this country is taken,
the duty free bought liquids from that third country (for example US) will no
longer be confiscated at the point of transfer in Europe. For example, a bottle
of wine bought in San Francisco Airport will no longer be confiscated from a
passenger flying from San Francisco via Munich to Frankfurt at the point of
transfer in Munich.

3) Will the new Regulation change anything for passengers leaving European
airports?

The EU will seek reciprocal arrangements by which third countries whose
standards have been found to be adequate by the EU will take a similar decision
to accept EU security standards and permit transit passengers flying-in from the
EU to keep their duty free liquids.

4) To which cases will the new Regulation apply?

To any case where liquids are bought at the duty free shops at the airports
of a third country that is considered to have equivalent measures as the EU.

5) Why is such a new Regulation needed?

In order to improve passenger convenience. At the moment passengers arriving
from third countries and transferring at Community airports are not allowed to
take liquids bought in airport shops in third countries on board connecting
flights when they change planes at an EU airport. The new Regulation makes
exemptions to this prohibition possible and gives the Commission a toolbox to
work with third countries in order to remedy this kind of disruptions.